Corn-planter.



PATENTBD MAR. 3 1903.

W. S. GRAHAM. CORN PLANTER.

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.No. 72 11795. PATENTBD MAR. 3,1903.

- W. s. GRAHAM.

001m PLANTER, APPLIOATION'I'ILHD SEPT. 22, 1902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. GRAHAM, OF CANTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PARLIN & ORENDORFF COMPANY, OF CANTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,795, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed September 22, 1902. SerialNo. 12 No model To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. GRAHAM, of the city of Canton, county of Fulton, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the seed-dropping mechanism of corn-planters; and it is embodied partly in the first drop mechanism, partly in the second drop mechanism, and partly in means for assuring proper gearing of the seed-wheel with the drive-pinion therefor.

The invention is exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and it is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speci- "fication, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a seedbox and runner and a section through the planter-shank, the seedbox being swung from engagement with its driving-pinion and the second drop mechanism being shown in condition for the planter to plant in check-rows. Fig. 2 is a section through the planter-shank, showing the second drop mechanism in position to drill the seed. Fig. 3 is a detailof the drive-pinion for the seed-wheel. Fig. 4 is a detail section illustrating the manner in which the gear-Wheel of the seedbox is prevented from meshing improperly or out of time with the means used to rotate the drillshaft. Fig. 5 is a detail plan of the droppinggear of the seedbox, showing the means employed to prevent the gear of the seed-wheel from meshing with the pinion out of proper time or position. Fig. 6 is a section through the seed-wheel, the gear-ring therefor, and the bottom plate, such section being. taken on lineXin Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section through the bottom plate on'line Y in Fig. 5, which is the location of the discharge-opening.

The pinion 16, which meshes with the gear teeth 11 of the seed-wheel of the seedbox, has

' a flange 17, flush with'the greatest extension of the teeth of the pinionand notched at intervals to conform to spaces between teeth, as shown at 18. Lateral extensions 12 are formed on some of the teeth 11 of the seedbox-wheel, and such extensions mesh with the notches 18 of the pinion to permit the teeth of the wheel to engage the teeth of the pinion.

This planterbelongs-to the class in which the seed-wheel must travel a certain invariable distance while the drill-shaft is making an operative movement and must bring a predetermined number of cells in position to discharge each its single grain into the plantershank. It is desirable to occasionally separate the seedboxes from their drive-pinions in order to change plates and to empty boxes, and it is necessary that when the boxes are replaced the gearing shall be so timed as to properly pass the cells over the cut-01f. In this instance there are two notches in the flange of the pinion, as the drill-shaft makes a one-half rotation in dropping a hill of corn from the seedbox, and the seed-wheel has four extensions 12, for the reason that the seedwheel makes a one-fourth rotation at each operation. As there can be but four of the extensions 12 on the gear-Wheel under the rule of action hereinbefore explained, it is possible for the spaces between extensions to mesh with the pinion out of proper time or location unless provision is made to prevent such a result. To obviate this difficulty, I form a flange 20 on the gear-wheel and cut away the flange alongside the extensions 12, as shown at 13 in Fig. 5. Then on a fixed part ofthe frame adjacent to the seed-wheel I form guide extensions, as 14, which project into the path of the intact part of the flange in the motion of seating the hopper, but pass through the recesses 12. In this instance the guides 14 are formed on an extensionof. the planter-shank above the cross-bar, and the seedbox is hinged to such extension by means of "lugs 21; but it is obvious that with the recesses 13 placed alongside extensions 12-the guides 14 may be placed in the rear or to either side of the seedbox and that the locations of the recesses 13-may be so changed as to require entirely different positions on the part of the guides. The essential requirement is that the flange of the seed-wheel shall not be truly circular and that an obstruction shall be placed on the frame to engage the flange and prevent it from being seated unless an extension 12 is pointed across the flange of the pinion, as shown in Fig. 5. The recessed flange is what would be termed a ward in a lock and key, and any structure having the characteristics of a keyward to compel the seating of the seed-wheels, with an extension 12 projecting above the drive-pinion, will conform to the broad idea involved in this feature of the invention. In this instance the seed-wheel is swung to and from its seat on lugs 21; but the result would be the same if the seedbox were lifted bodily 0E and on the frame in unseating and seating the wheel.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the seed-wheel cannot be seated entirely unless an extension 12 points above the pinion and a recess 18 of the flange of the pinion is presented upward to receive the extension. Consequently it is impossible to get the gearwheel to mesh with the pinion out of proper time with relation to the mechanism for driving the pinion and the cells of the seedwheel.

The gear-wheel constitutes the outer rim of the seed-plate 22, and it may be cast integral therewith. It is preferred, however, to cast the seed-plate separate from the gear-wheel and to engage one with the other by means of the notches and extensions, (shown at 23 in Fig. 5.) The seed-cells 2a are formed in the perimeter of the plate 22, and they are deep enough to carry a grain of corn edgewise. It is essential that the grains shall discharge freely from the cells when a discharge-opening is reached, and to insure thatresult I thin the inner edge of the seed-wheel from the under side and extend a rim 26 of the bottom plate 25 upward to fill the space and form the lower part of the outer walls of the cells, as shown in Fig. 6. The dischargeopening of the bottom plate is formed partly in the plate and partly in the vertical rim 26, as shown at 27 in Fig. 7, and when a grain reaches the discharge-opening it may pass downward through the opening in the plate or sidewise through the opening in the rim.

The final drop mechanism in shank 1 consists of a plunger 5, which is actuated by an arm 4 on drill-shaft 1, and a valve 28, which combines with the plunger to close the lower end of the shank. The valve 28 is pivoted at 29 in the rear of the shank, and it is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a spring 80, which extends upward and bears at its upper end against rearward extension 31 of the rear shank-wall. The spring 21 is pivoted to the valve at 32, so as to swing sidewise, and the extension 31 is undercut, as shown at 33, to receive the upper end of the spring. \Vhen it is desired to convert the planter into a drill, the spring 30 is first swung sidewise to clear the outer surface of extension 31 and then pressed into the recesses 33, as shown in Fig. 2. This opens the valve 28 and holds it open, so that drilled corn may pass freely from the shank.

To restrain the drilled grains intended for one hill from mingling with the grains intended for another hill, I provide an arm 7, pivoted at 8 near the upper end of the shank, and form a shelf 15 on the upperend of the arm. The lower forward end of the arm is forked, as shown at 9,to embrace a pin 6 on the plunger 5. The pivot 8 is approximately in line with the front wall of the seed-chute of the shank, and. when the plunger is raised the shelf 15 is swung rearward across the chute 19 to intercept the grains that would otherwise fall to the discharge end of the second drop as fast as they were released from the seedbox. As the plunger travels downward in discharging a hill of seed the shelf :15 is swung out of the chute to release the hill accumulated therein. The plungeris returned to its raised position as soon as it is depressed, thereby carrying shelf 15 into an intercepting position, and in the operation of the planter while planting in check-rows there is always one hill of corn at the discharge end of the shank and another hill accumulating on the shelf 15 while the planter is traveling between cross-rows. When the planter is used as a drill, the check-row shaft is rocked backward to carry the shelf 15 clear of the seedchute, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim- 1. In a planter, the combination of a planter-shank, a seed-expeller for the shank, a valve constituting the lower part of the rear wall of the shank, such valve being hinged at its upper end, an undercut extension on the rear wall of the shank above the pivot of the valve, and a spring-bar hinged to the valve to swing sidewise thereon, substantially as described.

2. In a planter, the combination of a shank, a seed-expelling plunger in the shank, a lever pivoted near the front wall of the seed-chute in the upper part of the shank, the front end of the lever being in engagement with the plunger, and a shelf on the opposite extension of the lever swingable across the seedchute by downward motion of the plunger.

3. In a planter, the combination of a frame, a seedbox removably seated on the frame, a drive-pinion on a shaft journaled in the frame, a gearwheel journaled in the seedbox and adapted to mesh with the pinion and move the seed-plate, a ward on the gear-wheel and a guide on the frame to engage the ward and prevent improper seating of the gear-wheel with relation to the pinion.

4. In a planter, the combination of a frame, a seedbox removably seated on the frame, a drive-pinion on a shaft journaled in the frame, a notched flange on the pinion, a gear-wheel j ournaled in the seedbox and adapted to mesh with the pinion and move the seed-plate, extensions on the gear-wheel adapted to engage ICC cells, and a bottom plate having a vertical rim extending upward and forming the lower part of the outside walls of the cells, the dis- 15 charge-opening being formed through the vertical rim and through the bottom plate.

In testimony whereof I sign myname in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. S. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

W. J. DICKINSON, L. P. GRAHAM. 

